The Boy Next Door
by Certified-Fangirl1234
Summary: After Clary moves to New York from California she meets her mysterious next door neighbor. After building a friendship she will soon learn dark secrets about his past, present, and future. R
1. Chapter 1

Our mini van pulled up to our new two-story house. It was a colonial with baby blue exterior, white doors and windows. I sighed and stepped out of our van.

We moved to New York for a new job opportunity my mom had received. I would miss California though. I missed the beach, my friends, even school- and I hated school.

"Clary, can you get a box?!" My mom yelled. I walked to the opened back door of the moving truck. I grabbed a box of a bunch of stuff of mine like photos, posters, and CD's.

I turned and walked up the front steps of my house. As I started up the stairs a whiny rock song came on my iPod and buzzed through my headphones. I focused on it's lyrics and hummed its tune. I climbed the top of the stairs and took a left turn, and walked down the wide hallway to the very end where the door to my room was.

I shoved the door open and set the box on my bare bed. It was all white and dull. Before my room was the complete opposite. There were red walls and pictures, posters, and drawings covering it. Clothes were always on my floor and my bed was never made. It was so dull now.

There was aleady a white dresser and night stand in there too. I sighed and plopped on my bed and closed my eyes. The song had changed to an upbeat pop song and I slowly drifted into my own little world.

My mom abruptly swung my door open and placed a few more boxes down. "Can you get the last boxes?" She asked me. I kept my eyes closed and pretended I couldn't hear her. She ripped the ear buds out of my ears and looked down at me with a scowl.

"Did you hear me?" She hissed.

I gave a small, noticeable nod and reluctantly lifted myself off the bed and trudged down the stairs. I went to the truck and got the last box. As I was pulling the box out I heard a door slam and pounding. "Dad, open the door!" A boy's voice yelled, and I heard more pounding and slamming.

I turned around to see my new next door neighbor kicking his door repeatedly. "Come on! Don't do this!" His back was turned to me so he didn't know I was there. After a final kick he gave up and turned around, his eyes meeting mine. They were a pretty golden color. And they looked pissed.

His mouth was drawn in a fine line and his eyes looked angry as hell. His curly golden locks were tousled and messy as if he'd just woken up. His face was angular and defined almost as if someone sketched it with a pencil. It was a masterpeice.

"Is this entertaining for you?" He asked in a low, angry voice.

"No." I shook my head and shifted the box up a bit. He made his way down the steps, and paced over to where I stood.

He didn't look as angry as he had been before just... agitated. He ran a hand through his hair and stopped in front of me.

"I'm sorry. It just annoys me when he does this," He said as if it was normal.

Was it normal? Did his father usually lock him out of the house? How often? And why would he do that? What did he do that was so bad? I shook my head like the apology wasn't needed, although it totally was.

"It's fine." I said, pretending it never happened.

He smiled. It was a charming, warm smile that showed his teeth and dimples. "Did you just move here. I'm Jace."

I smiled. "Clary."

His smiled widened and he pointed to the box that was still in the truck. "Need help with that?" He asked. I looked back at the box. I'd completely forgot about it.

"Um, I'm good. Thanks though..." I started but he leaned over and grabbed the box anyway. He turned to me and smirked. I guess I could use the help.

"Lead the way?" He asked, slyly. I turned around and lead the way towards my room. My mom stopped us on my way to the stairs, and looked at me confused.

"Who's this?" She pointed to Jace. I took a quick glance at him. His smile was polite and kind.

"This is Jace. He's our neighbor. He offered to help bring the stuff up. My mom nodded and went back to unpacking.

He followed close behind me the rest of the way. I kicked open my door since my hands were full and set the stuff on the floor and Jace did the same.

He stood up and looked around the room. His eyebrows drew together as he took it all in. "It's very..."

"Dull?" I asked and he nodded. "I haven't had time to do anything with it." He nodded.

"I better get back home and-" I cut him off. "And wait outside for your dad to let you in?" I finished for him. I was still confused about why his father locked him out.

He ran a hand through his hair awkwardly. The curls twirled around his fingers like a grape vine. "Yeah..."

"What was up with that?" I asked, plopping over onto my bed.

He stood I front of me. "Oh, uh..." He scratched the back of his head. "When he gets angry he can be..." "A douche bag?" I interjected.

He smiled and chuckled. "If that's how you want to put it."

"Does he do that a lot?" I ask, my eyebrows were pinched together in V shape. He looked at me with an emotion I couldn't name. He quickly hid it, but I could see the flash in his eyes. It went away so quickly, though, I questioned whether it was just my imagination.

"Wait!" He turned around as he was walking out of the door way. I couldn't let him stay out the for who knows how long.

"Do you want to stay for dinner?"


	2. Chapter 2

My fork made a clinking sound against my bowl of vegetable soup as I stirred the liquid awkwardly. My head rested on my palm as I made figure 8's with my spoon. Jace sat across from me and he looked as though he was trying to find a way to fill the empty silence. My mom wiped her mouth and said, "So Jace, do you play any sports? Any hobbies?"

I looked over at Jace to find him taking a huge sigh of relief. "I play football for my school's team, actually."

You could take one look at Jace and it would have been obvious that he played sports. He had a strong build. Muscular chest and legs made for running and kicking. Long legs that gave him the right height to jump. If you looked up 'football player' in the dictionary Jace's picture would be right beside it. He was the epidemy of a football player.

My mom looked impressed, as if it weren't obvious that he was athletic. "Which school?" My mom asked curiously. All her attention was on him. "St. Xaviors."

"Really? That's where Clary's going." My mother said excitedly. Why she was excited, I didn't know. Jace looked at me with an unidentifiable expression. Then a wide, snarky smirk replaced it.

"Is it?" He asked slyly. I narrowed my eyes at him and his smirk grew into a grin that seemed as though it couldn't be diminished. I rolled my eyes.

My mom reached over from the edge of the table and gripped my hand and smiled at me giddly. "Oh, Clary isn't that wonderful? You'll have a friend!" She exclaimed as if I'd be attached to Jace the whole time. I faked a small, tight smile and squeezed her hand in return.

I knew he'd probably ignore me the whole damn time. Probably would just look at me like a weirdo or wouldn't acknowedge my presence at all. I'd rather him ignore me than be a total douche to me, though.

I heard a loud laugh that was followed a noisy cough and stiffled laughter. I locked narrowed eyes on him. He quickly covered his laugh with another cough and took a mouthful of soup. And even though he probably had enough soup in his mouth to cure world hunger a laugh or two still managed its way out.

"Are you in the same grade as Clary?" My mom asked, forgetting to add what grade I will be in. Jace's laughter calmed to only a small smile. "I'll be a junior." I add.

Jace shakes his head. "No, actually, I'll be a senior." He says, taking another spoon of soup. My mom's expression became shocked though he did look like a senior.

"Oh really?" She asked. "You must be excited." Jace smiled politely. "Very." If you payed attention you'd notice that his mouth was slightly curved up. It made him look like he was about to laugh when he smiled. It was kind of cute.

...

"Clary?" My mom asked. I looked up to find her standing up from her chair. "It's your turn to do the the dishes."

I huffed in protest but my mom quickly cut me off. "Stop complaining. Maybe you could get Jace to help you." She said and before anyone could even blink Jace responded. "I'd love to."

I looked at Jace and was suprised by what I saw. His face didn't display any arrogance or cockiness. It was serious. And he stared steadily back at mine. I broke away from his gaze and started gathering dishes from the table. "Okay."

My mom nodded and left the room, walking down the hall. Jace had started to gather the dishes too. "You wash. I dry." I told him and he only nodded.

After grabbing all the bowls, silerware, and cups we dropped them into the sink. I snatched up a dirty, old rag and stood to the right of Jace. Everytime he finished washing a plate he handed it to me and I would dry it.

"So," I said, attempting to start a conversation. He looked at me from the side of his eye and his mouth tilted up. "So," He repeated.

"How was dinner?" I asked as he offered me a bowl. "It was good." I nodded as I dried the bowl. "Your mom seems friendly."

I scoffed at that. She was friendly to guests, but not to me. She barely talked to me except to ask me for something or to punish me for something I did. She wasn't mean she was just always to busy with her art or something. "Yeah."

"What does that mean?" He asked questioningly. I shook my head. I didn't want to talk about it with someone I barely knew. "Nothing."

Jace snorted. "Sure." I looked at Jace incredulously. Ih ad forgotten all about the dishes and apparently so had he. He had set down the plate he had been holding to look at me.

"What does that mean?" I said crossing my arms over my chest. "It means that you're lying."

I narrowed my eyes at him. It was my business and he didn't need to pry into it. I had asked him about his dad, but I didn't pry into it when it was obvious he didn't want to talk about it. "Well, what about you?" I snapped.

"What about me?" He barked. His mouth and he scrubbed angrily at a bowl. He had gone back to washing the dishes so I turned around and began drying a plate that I never finished drying. "I asked you about your father and you didn't even say anything."

He huffed. "I told when he gets angry-" He started but I quickly interuptted.

"That's all you told me. When I tried to earn more you refused to tell me. Don't ask me to tell you things that I don't want to tell you when you refuse to do the same." I hissed

He looked at me with the same expression he had when he agreed to d the dishes. The same unreadable expression. I tried to find out the mystery behind it, but he just turned back to the dishes. "Okay." He said quietly.

I furiously turned away and visiously dried a cup.

...

I opened the door for Jace and almost slammed it shut when he was out, but his hand stopped me. "Clary-"

"I don't want to talk Jace." I said, attempting to shut the door again. I was unsuccessful. His hand wrapped around the door and pushed it forward so it would almost let him in.

"Just go." I said pushing the door. I didn't want to hear his apology. Maybe I was overreacting, but I didn't share personal things easily especially with people I just met.

"But Clary-" He pushed the door. "Jace go." I shoved on the door again attempting to keep him from coming in.

"I'm trying to apolgize." He said.

_"Jace just go." _I hissed. His hands dropped from the door and I finally shoved the door closed.

_A/N: Please review, favorite, or follow. I'd really appreciate it :) _


	3. Chapter 3

I looked in the mirror and agitatedly pulled at the white button down top that basically gave me no room to breathe. I huffed. I was in the school uniform, but it looked more like a school girl halloween costume.

The shirt was skin tight and the sleeves barely passed with a navy blue blazer and a skirt that barely passed my ass. I sighed and walked out of my room and went down the stairs to the kitchen. I grabbed a bowl of cereal and glanced at the key holder and noticed my moms keys were already gone.

_We've only been here for a day, _I thought as I scooped up a spooful of cereal and milk. It was lonely and quiet in this new unfamiliar place. I couldn't help but notice and compare the differences.

The walls were white and so were the cabinets. There was no pop of color, and there was no noise. She remembered when she was little, before her father died, she would wake up to the smell of burnt pancakes due to her mother's lack of cooking skills. And though they were burnt she still raced down the stairs to be met with the mess, color, and chaos.

The walls had been yellow like the sun and the counters would have been covered with her moms unfinished concoctions. It seemed like just a dream compared to now. Now it was just white walls and neatness. Even her room. Before it had been her sanctuary. It had been her place away from these white walls.

I sighed and checked the window to see my bus being loaded. I scrambled out of the chair and picked up my bag. I raced outside my front door and to the bus. "Hey, wait!" I exclaimed while holding my skirt from coming up. I watched as the doors shut in my face.

I panted and watched as the laughing faces of the passengers rolled by and out of sight. I huffed and readjusted my bag. _Could this get any worse?_

"Need a ride?" I heard the one and only Jace ask. I almost laughed at the convenience and inconvenience of it all. I slowly turned to meet a smirk that almost went ear to ear. I would've kicked it off his face if it weren't for the damn skirt.

He opened the passenger side door in a gesture to coax me into the car. "Come on, Fray. You need a ride or you're going to be late to class." He said a grin making its way on his face.

I reluctantly trudged up the driveway to his car. "You seem to always show up at the most convenient times." I said and slipped into the seat. Jace walked to the other side of the car and hopped in, reving the engine.

"It's my specialty." I turned to look out the window hoping I could avoid any other conversation. I heard a throat clear. "You're welcome by the way." He said.

I turned my head to look at a smirking Jace. His head wasn't turned toward me, but he was looking at me from the side of his eye. "Excuse me? What do you mean?" I asked crossing my arms and fulling turning towards him.

"The ride..." He said. I was still mad at him sohow he thought this would make me like him I don't know. "You offered to give me a ride. I don't have to thank you."

His smirk turned into a full wat smile. Why was he happy? "I'm taking time out of my day to be a gentleman. I think that deserves some praise." I shook my head. "I'm not thanking you." I said and turned to the window. We were already at the school and he was parking.

I grabbed my bag and stepped out of the car. "Fine," he said. "But you owe me." I stared at him, smoke coming out of my ears, as he turned and left for his friends.


End file.
